Selector device



July 30, 1968 D. STEIN 3,394,472

SELECTOR DEVICE Filed Dec. 5, 196 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 an as Per-mold SI MG T E62 fa. M .3 g INVENTOR. T'Ugy E DAV/D STE/N a; 40130 5.0 BY

[OM/LE3, K/VOBBE 6 GAMBEEL 1.

ATTOENEVS.

July 30, 1968 D. STEIN 3,394,472

SELECTOR DEVICE Filed Dec. 5, 1965 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 I NVEN'TOR DAV/D 5' TE/N BYFOWA 2, KNOBBE GAMBEELL ATTORNEYS.

July 30, 1968 D. STEIN 3,394,472

I SELECTOR DEVICE L I Filed Dec. 5, 1965 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 fire. 3

INVENTOR. DAV/D 5 TE//\/ C am/4 2, mvass 4" GAMB/PELL United States Patent 3,394,472 SELECTOR DEVICE David Stein, 8913 Cardinal Ave., Fountain Valley, Calif. 92708 Filed Dec. 3, 1965, Ser. No. 511,510 1 Claim. (Cl. 35-74) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A selector device includes a cover plate having a plurality of spaced-apart areas each representing a different one of a plurality of products from which a selection is to be made. Several templates each representing a different property are stacked beneath the cover plate and mounted for individual movement to various positions indicating different parameters of the properties. The spaced-apart areas and the templates include apertures so arranged that for any selected position of the templates an aperture through each template registers only with apertures through the cover plate which represent products satisfying all of the parameters at which the templates are positioned. Thus, when each template is moved to a position representative of the acceptable grade of the property it represents, all of the apertures in the spaced-apart areas representing products not acceptable as to all properties are blocked by one or more templates,

and all those representing products acceptable as to all properties are open.

This invention relates to devices for determining which of a plurality of products or the like are suitable for a designated purpose, and more particularly, to devices for visually indicating which of a plurality of products satisfy selected parameters of each of several properties.

In many industries, it is frequently necessary to select from many products available, those which have properties satisfying the specific demands of a particular use. One instance where this selection is particularly diflicult and critical is in choosing the proper metal alloys for particular castings. For example, a foundry wishing to cast an intricate, ornamental, aluminum grillwork must select an aluminum alloy which has excellent castability and perhaps excellent corrosion resistance, while the strength of the alloy might be secondary and its machineability irrelevant. On the other hand, in casting aluminum bell cranks strength is of prime importance while machineability might be secondary and corrosion resistance and castability generally are not problems.

With the large number of alloys of varying properties now available, it is a burden for a foundry which does small special order work to consult the tables necessary for selection of the best alloy for each job. Not only are the tables time-consuming to use, often they are too complex for the foundryman. As a result, foundries frequently use an alloy with which they are most familiar rather than selecting the most appropriate one of the wide variety of alloys available. Thus, both the foundry and the customer are deprived of the full advantages of modern materials.

This invention provides a device which a foundryman, or other person searching for a product with specified properties, may use in selecting the most appropriate one of a variety of alloys or other products. The device is simple to operate, and with it the product possessing the properties desired for a particular job can be determined quickly.

Broadly, the invention includes a support member, a template for each of a plurality of properties mounted for individual selective movement with respect to the support member to positions representing different paice rameters of the properties, and means systematically related to the various positions of the templates to indicate which products satisfy all of the selected parameters.

In an exemplary embodiment the support member is a front cover plate having its face divided into a plurality of spaced-apart areas each representing a different one of the plurality of products available. Each of the spacedapart areas and each of the templates includes apertures so arranged that for any selected position of the templates an aperture through each template registers only with apertures through the cover plate which represent products that satisfy all of those selected parameters. Thus, when each template is moved to a position representative of the acceptable grade of its property, all the product representing means not representing products acceptable as to all properties are blocked by one or more templates, and the operator can easily ascertain the suitable products.

Further, to assist in aligning the templates at exactly the desired rotative position relative to the cover plate, an indexing means is provided in an exemplary embodiment of the invention. This includes an indexing pin inserted through the cover and through elongate arcuate slots formed in each template. The pin is slightly larger than the slots so that it deforms the templates along the edges of the slots. When the template is aligned at any of the plurality of selected positions, the indexing pin registers with one of a plurality of notches which are spaced along each edge of the slot, so that the templates are held positively in the aligned positions.

These and other objects and features of this invention will be apparent from the following detailed description when read with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a front view of a selector device constructed in accordance with this invention;

FIG. la is an enlarged view of a typical product-representing square illustrated in FIG. 1;

FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the selector device illustrated in FIG. 1; and

FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIG. 1, but with the cover plate removed for clarity.

Referring first to FIGS. 1 and 2, a selector is illustrated including four parameter plates or templates 2, 4, 6, 8 stacked between front and back support members or cover plates 10, '12. The face of the front cover plate 10' is divided or marked-off into a plurality of spaced printed areas 14 which are exemplarily illustrated as squares. Each square area represents a different one of a plurality of products from which the selection is to be made. Each of the templates 2, 4, 6, 8 is constructed to represent a parameter group or property which is to be considered in selecting the products.

The templates 2, 4, 6, 8 are each mounted for selective pivotal movement relative to the cover plates 10, 12 in accordance with the desired parameter or grade of the property represented, the selected position being indicated by alignment of a parameter indicator or tab 16 on each template with one of the grade marks 18 printed on the periphery of the front cover plate 10. For any selected position of the templates, the back cover plate 12 is visible through a view aperture 20 in each square 14 which represents a product satisfying the selected grade of each property. On the other hand, the view apertures 20 in all of the squares 14 representing products which do not satisfy the selected grade of each property are blocked by one or more templates 2, 4, 6, 8 so that the back cover plate 12 is not visible through the view apertures 20.

The illustrated embodiment of the selector is particularly adapted for selecting from a plurality of alloys those which satisfy selected grades of each of four properties or desirable characteristics of cast aluminum alloys. The flat front cover plate 10 has two edge portions 22, 24 which are formed as concentric circular arcs of differing radius joined by transverse linear edge portions 26, 28. Heavy radial lines 30 divide the smaller radius arcuate portion 22 into four separate areas or sectors each labeled by indicia on the front cover plate to represent one of the four properties, castability, strength, corrosion resistance, and machineability which are used by way of example. Further, by way of example, each of the four sectors is subdivided by lighter radial lines 32 into four segments -18 labeled A, B, C, and .D to represent excellent, very good, good, and fair grades, respectively, of each property.

Each of the printed squares 14 in the central portion of the front cover plate with its associated view aperture 20 represents a different alloy available for selection. Information about the alloys may be printed on the cover plate in the squares, as is shown, for example, in FIG. 1a.

The back cover plate 12 is shaped substantially the same-as the front cover plate 10 and is connected thereto behind the front cover plate, for example, by three rivets 34 extending through aligned pairs of holes 36 in the large radius portions of the front plate and back plate. The back plate is oriented with respect to the front plate so that the conforming parts of the two plates are substantially aligned. A raised surface 38 on the larger radius arcuate portion of the ba-ck plate spaces the back plate from the front plate to freely accommodate the templates 2, 4, 6, 8 therebetween.

The four exemplary fiat circular templates 2, 4, 6, 8 are stacked between the front plate 10 and back plate 12, one on top of the other and in concentric relationship with each other and with the arcuate edges of the front and back plates. They are rotatably fixed between the front and back plates by a fastener which includes a pivot pin or sleeve nut 40 extending through holes 42 in the centers of the plates and templates, and a retaining screw 46 threaded in the sleeve nut. The templates are identical in size, having a smaller radius than the small radius portion of the front and back cover plates so that the templates are fully protected by the cover plates.

Each template includes a plurality of spaced-apart circular apertures or openings 44, each of substantially the same diameter as the view apertures 20. The openings '44 are arranged in patterns so that each template represents a different one of the four alloy properties to be considered in the selectionthe front template 2 being constructed to represent castability, the second template strength, the third template corrosion resistance, and the back template being constructed to represent machineability. The tab 16 which extends from the periphery of each template beyond the small radius arcuate portion 22 of the front cover 10 includes a mark 48 adapted to be selectively aligned with the four grade marks 18 of the property represented by the template.

Preferably only alloys having fair or better castability are represented on the selector. Thus, referring particularly to FIG. 3, as well as to FIG. 1, the pattern of the openings 44 through the castability template 2 is selected so that when the template is rotated to a position such that the indicator 48 on its tab 16 is aligned with the D, or fair, grade indicia of castability on the front cover plate, all the view apertures 20 will be aligned with an opening 44 in the template 2. If the template 2 is instead rotated to align its tab 16 with the A grade indicia on the front cover plate, only those view apertures 20 representing alloys having excellent castability will be aligned with an opening 44 in the template.

Thus, for example, the alloy represented by view aperture 20-1 has only fair castability so that when the template is rotated to the D position the opening 44-1 will align with the view aperture 20-1, but at the A, B and C positions View aperture 20-1 will be blocked by a solid portion 50 of the template. On the other hand, the alloy 4 represented by view aperture 20-2 has excellent castability so that the openings 44-2, 44-3, 44-4 and 44-5 are located to align with the view aperture 20-2 when the template is in the A, B, C, and D positions respectively. As a further example, the alloy represented by view aperture 20-3 has good castability so openings 44-6 and 44-7 align with the aperture 20-3 in the C and D positions, respectively, while the solid portion 52 of the template -blocks the aperture 20-3 in the A and B positions. Thus, there is at least one opening in the template for each alloy, two openings for each of those alloys having good castability, three for those having very good castability, and four for each alloy which is excellent in its castability characteristics.

Of course the template openings associated with a single view aperture are spaced arcuately in proportion to their radial distance from the center of the template, e.g. openings 44-6 and 44-7 are wider-spaced than open ings 44-2 and 44-3. Therefore, the template openings associated with adjacent view apertures away from the center may be interspersed to conserve space. For example, two of the openings 44-8, 44-9 associated with one view aperture 20-4 are alternated with two of the openings 44-10, 44-11 associated with another view aperture 20-5. Similarly, two of the openings 44-12, 44-13 associated with one view aperture 20-6 are interspersed with the two openings 44-14, 44-15 which are associated with another view aperture 20-7.

The openings 44 in the other three templates 4, 6, 8 are arranged, using the same criterion, in accordance with the characteristics of the various alloys. Only a few representative openings have been shown through those templates in the drawings.

Each template is independent of the others in that the pattern of the openings 44 through each template is unrelated to the pattern of the other templates. Thus one or more templates can be removed or additional templates can be added or substituted in accordance with the properties to be considered. Such changes in the templates should preferably be accompanied by appropriate changes to the indicia on the periphery 22 of the front cover plate 10. Moreover, one of the parameters 18 for each property can be used to indicate that the property is not to be considered in the product selection. In such case, each template will include an opening 44 aligned with each of the View apertures 20 when its tab 16 is opposite that parameter.

The selector further includes an indexing or stop means to limit rotation of each template so that its tab remains adjacent the sector of the front plate periphery labeled with the property represented by the template. For this purpose an indexing pin or sleeve nut 54 extends through round holes 56 in the cover plate and back plate and an elongate arcuate slot 58 in each template. The sleeve nut 54 is held in place by a threaded screw 60. The length and position of the slots 58 are selected so that the index pin 54 strikes one end 62 of the slot when the template is in its D grade position and strikes the other end of the slot 64 when the template is in its A grade position.

The openings 56 in the front plate 10 and back plate 12 are substantially the same diameter as the sleeve nut 54, but the slots 58 are narrower than the outside diameter of the sleeve nut 54 so that the sleeve nut slightly deforms each template along the edges of the slot 58 as the template is rotated with respect to the cover plate. Four enlarged positioning notches 66 are spaced along each of the arcuate slots 58, the notches 66 being of substantially the same diameter as the sleeve nut 54. The notches are positioned so that the sleeve nut will be received in a notch at each of the four rotative positions, A, B, C, or D, at which the template tab 16 is aligned with a grade indicia on the cover plate. Thus the templates are positively positioned in the aligned positions and proper alignment is assured.

In order to select the appropriate alloys for any particular use, the operator first determines what grade of each of the four properties-castability, strength, corrosion resistance, and machineabilityis the minimum that can be accepted. If, for example, he requires an alloy which has very good castability, excellent strength, very good corrosion resistance, but only fair machineability, the templates 2, 4, 6, 8 are rotated to the positions shown in FIG. 1. Because of the arrangement of openings in the four templates, only those view apertures in the cover plate representing alloys which satisfy the selected grades for all four properties will have openings through all four of the templates aligned with them so that the back plate 12 is visible through the view aperture. Thus, all view apertures except those representing acceptable alloys will be blocked by one or more templates (shaded in FIG. 1). If, as in the example shown in FIG. 1, several alloys are acceptable, the operator can then select the one of those acceptable alloys which is most economical or readily available.

It is sometimes important to know in how many of the four properties a particular alloy is deficient. In such instances, the templates are made of transparent material possessing a degree of light absorption so that the number of templates blocking any view aperture may be judged from the amount of light reflected from the back cover through the view aperture. In a similar manner, the back cover may be transparent or have openings that align with the view apertures so that the number of templates blocking any view aperture may be judged from the amount of light visible through the view aperture. In the latter case, the templates can be made of translucent material as well as transparent material. Further, the transparent or translucent templates can be color coded, e.g. by making each template a different color, so that the color visible through a view aperture will indicate to the operator what template or combination of templates is blocking a particular view aperture.

While this invention has been described with reference to a particular embodiment and a particular use, the description is intended to be exemplary only, and the invention should not be limited except by the following claim.

I claim:

1. A device for visually indicating which of a plurality of products or the like, if any, satisfy a selected parameter of each of a plurality of properties or the like, said device comprising:

(a) a front cover plate having a plurality of spacedapart areas on its face each representing a different one of a plurality of products, at least a portion of the periphery of the front cover plate being divided into a plurality of sectors each representing a different one of the properties, and each sector being subdivided into a plurality of segments representing the parameters of a property;

(b) a template for each of the plurality of properties;

(c) means mounting the templates for individual selective movement with respect to the cover plate to positions corresponding to different parameters for each property, said mounting means including a pivot pin aflixed to the cover plate for rotatably supporting the templates in stacked relationship behind the cover plate;

(d) a back cover plate behind the templates, the front and back plates both being larger than the templates to house the templates therebetween;

(e) a raised surface on at least a portion of the periphery of one of the cover plates to space the cover plates apart a distance greater than the combined thickness of the templates;

(f) means fixing the back plate to the front plate;

(g) a tab extending from the periphery of each template beyond the periphery of the front cover plate for alignment with the selected parameter at each of the positions of the template;

(h) a stop and indexing means for limiting movement of each template so as to restrict each tab to cooperating with its associated indicia and for positively maintaining the templates at each of the plurality of positions including aligned holes formed through the cover plate and back plate,

an elongate arcuate slot formed through each template, and disposed so that a portion of each slot is aligned with the cover plate and back plate holes at each of the aligned positions,

an indexing and stop pin extending through the aligned holes and the slots, said pin being wider than the slot so that the pin deforms the templates adjacent the slots,

and a plurality of enlarged positioning notches formed in each template along the edges of the slot, the notches being so disposed that the indexing pin registers with a notch at each of the plurality of selected positions of the template; and

(i) means systematically related to the selected positions of the templates visible through the cover plate to indicate which of the spaced-apart areas represent products which satisfy all of the selected parameters, said systematically related means including a separate aperture through each of the spaced-apart areas and openings through each template arranged to align with openings in the other templates behind the apertures of those spaced-apart areas representing products which satisfy all of the selected parameters.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,165,465 12/1915 Taylor 35-20 1,351,692 8/1920 Soper 129-16.1 1,966,971 7/1934 Rochlus 40-70 2,042,615 6/1936 Maxson 40--70 2,240,053 4/ 1941 Richardson.

2,756,931 7/ 1956 Drillick.

2,934,264 4/ 1960 Miller 23588 3,186,111 6/1965 Lawlor 35-17 3,248,809 5/ 1966 Stifano 35-74 X EUGENE R. CAPOZIO, Primary Examiner.

H. S. SKOGQUIST, Assistant Examiner. 

